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At least 19 records

MOOSE: Manned On-Orbit Servicing Equipment

The ability to service satellites has thus far been limited to low earth orbit platforms within reach of the Space Shuttle. Other orbits, such as geosynchronous orbits containing high-value spacecraft have not been attainable by a servicing vehicle. The useful life of a satellite can be extended by replacing spent propellant and damaged orbital replacement units, forestalling the need for eventual replacement. This growing need for satellite on-orbits servicing can be met by the Manned On-Orbit Servicing Equipment (MOOSE). Missions requiring orbit transfer capability, precision manipulation and maneuvering, and man-in-the-loop control can be accomplished using MOOSE. MOOSE is a flexible, reusable, single operator, aerobraking spacecraft designed to refuel, repair, and service orbiting spacecraft. MOOSE will be deployed from Space Station Freedom, (SSF), where it will be stored, resupplied, and refurbished.

Budinoff, J.↗

Updated assessment of TROPOMI NO2 and HCHO columns using airborne spectrometers during the MOOSE and TRACER-AQ field campaigns

Airborne spectrometer data offers the opportunity to evaluate satellite product performance without the impact of subpixel heterogeneity between the different satellite and ground-based measurement footprints. Previous measurements during the Long Island Sound Tropospheric Ozone Study were used to evaluate TROPOMI’s v1.3 NO2 product and found very strong relationships (r2=0.96) between the airborne spectrometer and TROPOMI with a systematic low bias mostly attributed to the coarse a priori profile assumption within the standard TROPOMI retrieval. This presentation will update that analysis using the most up-to-date version 2 TROPOMI NO2 product as well as expand analysis to the HCHO product. In summer 2021, NASA GeoCAPE Airborne Simulator (GCAS) collected measurements over southeast Michigan/western Ontario for the Michigan-Ontario Ozone Source Experiment (MOOSE) and Houston, Texas during the TRacking Aerosol Convection ExpeRiment – Air Quality (TRACER-AQ). Flight strategies for both deployments included repeated systematic sampling over common areas of interest coinciding with TROPOMI. During these flights, GCAS NO2 tropospheric columns are available at 250 m x 560 m resolution. Preliminary evaluation of GCAS NO2 retrievals with Pandora spectrometer data in Houston, Texas (3 sites) shows a median percent difference of 1.4% with an interquartile range of -15.5-14.9% (r2=0.72). Column HCHO was also retrieved at a slightly coarser resolution in Houston, Texas (750 m x 1680 m) showing distinct spatial patterns associated with secondary production through the oxidation of VOCs downwind of industrial facilities. Comparison to Pandora HCHO showed a low bias of ~25% (r2=0.29) with further investigation needed to identify the cause for this bias. This presentation will share how the GCAS/Pandora/TROPOMI NO2 and HCHO intercompare and will also extend analysis toward thinking about how these assets will contribute to the validation of future geostationary observations.

Laura Judd↗

High-Fidelity Modeling Approach for Coupling Thermal, Fluid, and Neutronic Analysis in an NTP Engine

Nuclear thermal propulsion (NTP), with its increased efficiency compared to traditional rocket engines, is a potentially enabling technology for space missions of higher complexity, such as delivering heavy machinery or crew to the moon or other planets. Thus, exploring modeling approaches that can effectively couple the thermal, fluid, and neutronic behaviors of NTP reactors is essential to mitigate cost and schedule challenges with hardware development. This paper details one such approach which utilizes Cardinal to unify reactor physics analysis performed using OpenMC, heat transfer analysis performed using the MOOSE framework, and thermal hydraulic analysis performed using the MOOSE Thermal Hydraulic Module. This approach is demonstrated with a proof of concept that focuses on a legacy reactor geometry from the historic NERVA program. This preliminary model found an overprediction in, when compared to the reference data, axial power peaking and the temperatures of both solids and fluids by roughly 20%. It is clear, however, that the model conserved a number of broad trends, and a few model refinements should reduce the observed error. This approach has definite merit and should enable the production of informative results for more modern NTP systems. This work is a first step in creating a transient reactor model that can be updated across a sequence of time steps based on continually fluctuating, time-dependent boundary conditions.

Nuclear Thermal Propulsion↗

Application of ERTS-1 imagery to the study of caribou movements and winter dispersal in relation to prevailing snowcover

The author has identified the following significant results. A multiband classification scheme was applied to ERTS-1 MSS digital tape data in a portion of the Yukon Flats area. Primary analytic objectives of mapping the extent of recent wildfire burns and mature forest were realized illustrating application to moose and caribou biology. Additionally, the analysis indicated the presence of new lakes as well as disappearance of lakes present in 1956. Because this is an important waterfowl production area, similar analyses may have significant application potential to waterfowl biology for rapid updating of habitat information. Further field confirmation of this finding is required.

Lent, P. C.↗

Use of LANDSAT imagery for wildlife habitat mapping in northeast and east central Alaska

The author has identified the following significant results. Two scenes were analyzed by applying an iterative cluster analysis to a 2% random data sample and then using the resulting clusters as a training set basis for maximum likelihood classification. Twenty-six and twenty-seven categorical classes, respectively resulted from this process. The majority of classes in each case were quite specific vegetation types; each of these types has specific value as moose habitat.

Lent, P. C.↗

Alaskan resources, current development. Traditional cultural values, and the role of LANDSAT data in current and future land use management planning

Past, present, and proposed applications of LANDSAT data for renewable resource assessments in Alaska are described. Specific projects briefly discussed include: a feasibility investigation applying LANDSAT data to caribou habitat mapping in northeast Alaska, analysis of a native corporate region in southwest Alaska, analysis of a game management unit in interior Alaska, and two proposed analyses in northwest Alaska. These analyses principally address range evaluations concerning caribou, moose, and Dall sheep, but results have application to other renewable resource themes. Application of resource assessment results to a statewide land use management plan is discussed.

Laperriere, A. J.↗

Use of LANDSAT imagery for wildlife habitat mapping in northeast and eastcentral Alaska

The author has identified the following significant results. Winter and summer moose range maps of three selected areas were produced (1:63,360 scale). The analytic approach is very similar to modified clustering. Preliminary results indicate that this method is not only more accurate but considerably less expensive than supervised classification techniques.

Lent, P. C.↗

Capabilities and limitations of existing MST radars: Poker Flat

Designed as a prototype system to continuously monitor the atmosphere up to approximately 100 km, the Poker Flat MST radar began operating in 1979 at a relatively low sensitivity. In almost continuous operation since then, the system is steadily increasing in sensitivity to its ultimate design characteristics. Current and final parameters are listed. The advantages of its modular design, which uses 64 transmitting modules distributed through the 200 mx 200 m antenna array include: easy maintenance, beam switching using very low power switching, air cooled transmitting tubes, lower feedline costs, and no moving parts. Continuous, uninterrupted operation ( 4 years) and less man-made interference because of the remote location) are other assets. Most disadvantages are related to its not-yet-finished status, climate, moose excursions, and operating expenses.

Balsley, B. B.↗

Use of induced fluorescence measurements to assess aluminum-organic interactions in acidified lakes

The application of laser fluorosensing to the tracing of metals in acid lakes is proposed. The effects of the metals on the dissolving organic carbon (DOC) fluorescence is studied using laboratory mixed water samples and natural water samples from Hamilton and Big Moose Lakes in New York. The operation of the laser fluorosensing system employed in the experiment is described. The DOC fluorescence was quenched by Al, Cu, and Fe, and the relation between pH and the quenching rate is examined. The humic substances fluorescence spectra are analyzed to estimate the concentrations of DOC in water and the relative concentration of Al. The interference problems caused by chemical competition between metal ions and ligands, and changes in the background DOC fluorescence are discussed. It is noted that an airborne laser fluorescence is useful for detecting elevated concentrations of metals.

Vodacek, A.↗

Assessing Alaskan boreal forest landcover affected by climate-wildfire interactions from ground truth surveys and NASA airborne remote sensing

Alaska’s boreal forest is facing unprecedented challenges under rapid climate warming (increasingly severe fires, droughts, pest/disease outbreaks) that may destabilize its function as a global carbon sink. Forests near Fairbanks may be especially vulnerable, impacting air quality and ecosystem services. We combined GT (ground truthing) with Airborne Visible InfraRed Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS-NG) images collected by the NASA Arctic-Boreal Vulnerability Experiment (ABoVE) program (2017-2019) to assess landcover change at five recently burned sites (2001-2019) of different fire severities and moisture regimes within 30 miles of Fairbanks. GT included tree seedling counts, understory % cover and >50% leaf canopy color assessment. 36 circular plots (1/30 ha radius) including 6 moderate to severely burned plots were selected across sites. 31 additional sites including 12 burned sites were geotagged in photos. AVIRIS images were processed from 29 spectral bands selected to identify changes in chlorophyll and water content. Images were segmented into natural boundaries (polygons) using ENVI 5.5 software. A spectral library of 8 AVIRIS bands with high between-class/low within-class variation was used in two random forest models to predict vegetation classes (model 1: 12 classes, model 2: 14 classes) in each AVIRIS scene, using 20% of the data as training data. Model 2 classified 20% more polygons overall, but only 42% of GT/geotagged polygons were correctly classified by both models. More forest sites were correctly classified (63%) than open vegetation (32%) or post-fire sites (46%). 50% of aspen forest and post-fire polygons were misclassified as shrubland. GT revealed that post-fire plots supported 134,000 (± 48,000) tree seedlings and saplings ha-1 (0.2 - 4 m height, 64% deciduous) versus 2500 (± 2100) shrubs ha-1 (1-6 m height). > 50% canopy browning was observed in conifer forest (8 plots) with no signs of insect infestation. Canopy herbivory > 50% (leaf miner, leaf beetle) and moose herbivory of tree bark was seen across aspen sites. Our study suggests: 1) low canopy vegetation presents challenges for improved landcover classification, and 2) aspen forest should be differentiated in vegetation maps which would aid in tracking herbivory.

Alaska↗

Nickel-cadmium cells for the spacecraft battery

The storage battery for the Telstar satellite must undergo frequent charge-discharge cycles; in addition, it is subject to overcharge during a substantial portion of its life. Nickel-cadmium cells were chosen as best capable of satisfactory long-time operation under these conditions. A design and selection program was undertaken to ensure that Ni-Cd cores would meet objectives imposed by battery service conditions, and the cell enclosure was designed to minimize electrolyte leakage. Selection, qualification, and life tests indicated that a storage battery using the cell design would perform satisfactorily. To date, the only failures occurring during continuing life tests have been among cells subjected to 100 per cent discharge daily; this operation is far in excess of the expected duty cycle of satellite cells.

TELSTAR SATELLITE↗

Digital control of high performance aircraft using adaptive estimation techniques

In this paper, an adaptive signal processing algorithm is joined with gain-scheduling for controlling the dynamics of high performance aircraft. A technique is presented for a reduced-order model (the longitudinal dynamics) of a high performance STOL aircraft. The actual controller views the nonlinear behavior of the aircraft as equivalent to a randomly switching sequence of linear models taken from a preliminary piecewise-linear fit of the system nonlinearities. The adaptive nature of the estimator is necessary to select the proper sequence of linear models along the flight trajectory. Nonlinear behavior is approximated by effective switching of the linear models at random times, with durations reflecting aircraft motion in response to pilot commands.

Van Landingham, H. F.↗

Control of nonlinear stochastic systems using adaptive estimation

A general procedure for the design of a digital controller for nonlinear stochastic systems is presented; the emphasis is on development of partitioned-adaptive control techniques which provide rapid tracking of the system state vector to follow rapid trajectory variations. Tests involving the control of a low-order nonlinear oscillator suggest that the procedure yields an effective method for achieving closed-loop performance, despite the difficulty of the control problem

Vanlandingham, H. F.↗

Digital set point control of nonlinear stochastic systems

A technique for digital control of nonlinear stochastic plants is presented. The development achieves a practical digital algorithm with which the closed-loop system behaves in a classical Type I manner even with gross nonlinearities in the plant structure and low signal-to-noise power ratios. The design procedure is explained in detail and illustrated by an example whose simulated responses testify to the practicality of the approach.

Moose, R. L.↗

Set-point control of nonlinear systems

A method of nonlinear stochastic control is applied to the problem of providing set-point control. The procedure is illustrated for a nonlinear second-order plant. The controller design uses a variation of the 'multiple-model adaptive control' approach. Specific problems related to the design are investigated, including learning time and set-point accuracy dependence on the number of approximating models, chord versus tangent approximations, and the a priori Markov switching parameter values. Simulations are provided for different situations under various levels of measurement noise.

Vanlandingham, H. F.↗

Applications of adaptive state estimation theory

Two main areas of application of adaptive state estimation theory are presented. Following a review of the basic estimation approach, its application to both the control of nonlinear plants and to the problem of tracking maneuvering targets is presented. Results are brought together from these two areas of investigation to provide insight into the wide range of possible applications of the general estimation method.

Moose, R. L.↗